Some Bird Architects. 



recesses of caves or the deserted burrows of other 

 animals." * * 



The primitive type of nest first built amidst the 

 branches of the trees was probably a mere rough collec- 

 tion of twigs more or less loosely woven together, and 

 because it suffices its intended purpose we find it still 

 the typical nest of many birds, such as the Pigeons, 

 whose nest is the merest latticework of twigs, the Crows, 

 and the Herons. The Hawfinch and the Bullfinch have 

 carried the art a step further, for they have added to 

 the loosely arranged platform of twigs an inner neatly 

 woven cup of fine hair and slender rootlets. From 

 such crude beginnings we can trace the advancement of 

 the craft in a series of infinite gradations in the gradual 

 refinement of selection of building materials and work 

 of construction and design. Our Thrush's nest, for 

 instance, represents one of the earlier phases, where 

 mud, in addition to grasses and rootlets, has been 

 employed, and probably gave origin to the ultimate 

 exclusive use of mud as building material for the nest, 

 as is the habit with some birds ; while, on the other 

 hand, we can trace the abandonment of the admixture of 

 mud, and the rejection of twigs and all coarser materials, 

 until we arrive at cup or dome shaped structures woven 

 of only the very finest hair, wool, and rootlets. 



The little Stonechat we may take as our first ex- 

 ample of a bird not using any mud in the construction 

 of its nest. It is a bird that haunts open heaths and 

 commons, where furze bushes and a plentiful growth 

 of heather luxuriate. Here, about the middle of March 

 or a little later, according to the climatic conditions of 

 * W. P. Pycraft, A History of Birds. 

 '95 



